Centrifugal drier



Nov. 18, 1930.

Filed Nov. 16, 1928 B. GREEN 1,782,264

CENTRIFUGAL DRIER 25 'Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 18, 1930.

L.v B. GREEN GENTRIFUGAL DRIER Filed Nov. 1e, 192e s sneets-shet 2 .$32 Elm mw" En@ Nov. 18, 1930. L. B. GREEN 1,732,264

' CENTRIFUGAL DRIER Filed Nov. 1s, 19`2a @sheets-sheet 5 www mw I

mented Nev. 1e, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEE B. GREEN, F LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE BORDER COMPANY, OF WARREN,

' OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO cEN'rnLFUGAL Damn Application led November 16, 1928.

I,drier itself but also with the mounting of the same upon a washing machine.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision-of a mounting for a centrifugal drier of this class which will permit the drier basket with its load toadjust itself' automativision of means for suspendin my invention;

cally to compensate for eccentricity in the center of gravit thereby avoiding excessive vibration with its consequent evils.

Another object of the invention is the prothe drier `basket entirely from above, w ereby the mounting is simplified and the self-adjusting center of gravity feature rendered easy of accomplishment.

A further object is the hanging of the driving motor and the drier basket from a common iexibly supported mounting with the driving motor beneath the basket, whereby the mass of the motor on a relatively long lever arn opposes such vibrations :as may be set up on account of whatever vlackof rotational balance theremay be in the basket and its contents.

Another 'object is the provision of a. mounting for use in conjunction with washing machines which will enable the operator `to. swing the drier casing around its supporting standard so that it may be drained gravity into the washing machine tub, or into other tubs placed near-by without mov-` ing the. washing machine itself.

Y p Another object of the inventionis the proj vision of a mounting in connection with the washing machine which will permit the attachment interchangeable of a clothes wrin er or a centrifugal drier.

Oter ob'ects and features of novelty will appear as proceed with the description of those embodlments of .the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view, principally in section, showing the preferred form of Serial No. 319,929.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken substant1ally on the line 2-2 Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to a modified forni of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating an arrangement of the washing machine and .drier for use in connection with stationary tubs; and j "Fi 5 is a further modication illustrating t e centrifugal drier mounted for use as a separate machlne.

In the drawings I have illustrated at 10 a fragment of the tub of a washing machine, the tub being open at the top and provided with a cover 11.j The washing machine comprisesas a part of'its framework a hollow post 12, hereinafter referre to as the wringer post. The post 12 is adaptedto support a swinging wrmger, such as is common and well. knownrin the art, or the centrifugal drier of the present invention. In practice, the manufacturer produces three units, a tub unit, a wringer unit, and a centrifugal drier unit, shipping them separately to the dealer or the distributor who assembles them to ll the orderstaken. The arrangement is of benefit to the dealer as well as to the manufacturer, since it enables him to maintain 'a full stock without as much investvment aswould be required if he had to keep 1n stock a tub unit for every wringer unit` wringer post 12 there are two separated annular bearings 14 and 15 adapted to receive with a nice rotating fit bearing surfaces on a vertical trunnion 16 which constitutes an integral depending part of a standard 17, in the case of the centrifugal drier, or a similar part in the case of awrmger. 'Ihe standard- 17, or the corresponding wringer part, as the case may be, is, therefore, rotatable about an axis coincident with the centers of the bearing surfaces 14 and 15. In order to take the vertical load and to increase the stability of the standard, the post 12 is formed at its 11p-- ig. 1, showing per end with an annular ledge 18, and the standard 17 is provided with a shouldered portion 19 which bears upon the said ledge.

The standard 17 has attached thereto or made integral therewith a pair of horizontally extending curved arms 20, to which is secured a drier-casing 21 that is open at the top. The central portion of the bottom of the casing is also open and is provided with an upwardly extending flange 22 encircling the latter opening. In the bottom wall of this casing 21 1 provide one or more drain openings 23, 23 through which the water removed by the centrifugal action may be discharged. Each drain opening is preferably provided with a valve. In the present instance I have illustrated for this purpose a slide plate 24 having a discharge opening 25 therethrough, the plate being pressed against a slide bearing 26 by spring means 27. A hooked portion 28 on the outer end of plate 24 serves as `a handle for facilitating the opening and closing of the valve.

Above the level of the casing 21, the standard 17 carries an approximately horizontal arm 30. In the outer end of the arm 30 there is secured, by means of a pin 31 or otherwise, a flexible joint 32 capableof permitting motion in two directions at right angles to each other. Obviously, the particular character of this joint is not of importance here, and consequently will not be described in detail. The flexible joint 32 suspends by means of a pin 33, or otherwise, a tubular hanger 34 provided with a horizontal flange 35at its lower extremity.

The centrifugal drier basket 36,which has a perforated cylindrical side wall, includes a central hub member 37, preferably in the form of a casting. The upper portion of this hub member rests upon an anti-friction thrust bearing 38 which is, supported upon the flange 35 of the hanger 34, and a bushing 39 is interposed between the tubular hanger 34 and the hub member 37. The basket is, tlerefore, freely rotatable upon the hanger 3 The drier of the present invention is driven by its own individual motor 40, which may be of usual construction except for the fact that the upper shell 41 of the motor casing is of special design in order to take screws 42, by means of which the motor is suspended from the flange 35 of the hanger 34. I employ a plurality of screws 42, although only one appears in the drawing. The shaft 43 of the motor is rotatable in bushings 44 and 45, carried by the motor casing. At its lower end the shaft 43 extends beyond bushing 45 and is keyed to a cbllar 46 upon which are formed integral arms 47 In the latter a e mounted pivot ins 48 that pivotally support .swinging weiglrits 49 which are faced upon theirlouter curved surfaces with friction materia A. drive sleeve or cylinder 50 surrounds the motor 40 and is attached at its upper end to a flange 51 upon the casting 37. At its lower end the sleeve 50 is turned inwardly and is secured to a driving hub 52 having a smooth inner cylindrical surface adapted to be frictionally engaged by the weights 49 under the influence of centrifugal force.

rEhe lower portion of the driving hub 52 is offset inwardly and rotatably mounted upon the collar 46, a bushing 53 being interposed to reduce friction at times when there is relative movement between these parts.

Ventilation openings are provided in the sleeve 50 and in the motor casing in order to prevent overheating of the motor. As the sleeve 50 revolves at a rapid rate, I provide a guard 54 to prevent its coming in contact with anything during the operation of the drier, the guard being preferably flanged at its upper end and secured to the casing 21 by riveting, welding or other suitable means.

Electric current may be supplied to the motor 40 by means of a cable 55 which extends from the motor upwardly through the tubular hanger 34 and out through an opening 56 in the side thereof, and then through the hollow arm 30, standard 17 and post 12 to any convenient terminals, the conductors of the cable preferably extending through a switch inside the standard 17 that is controlledby a switch lever 57 on the side of the standard.

In the modification of the invention illustrated at Fig. 3, the mounting of the drier is substantially like that above described, comprising the wringer post 12, standard 17, curved arms 20 for supporting the drier casing, extension arm 30, and flexible joint 32 depending therefrom. The drier casing 21 is also similar to the casing 21, although of somewhat different design. In this modification, however, the hanger 60 extends through the electric motor 61 and carries the fixed armature coils of the motor; that is to say it takes the place of the ordinary motor shaft. The field of the motor, to which the casing 62 is attached, rotates. At its upper end Vthis casing is provided with an extension 63 which supports a drier basket 64. The

extension 63 is of annular shape, but is provided with perforations between the bottom of basket 64nand the bottom of casing 21 in order to permit free circulation of air. The

upper end of the casing 62 is closed or par\ tially closed by a bowed cover plate 65 which is welded or otherwise fastened to the flared extension 63 and Vwhich carries at the center a bushing holder 66 containing a bushing 67 that rotates upon the cylindrical hanger 60. The motor casing also has a rotatable bearing (now shown) upon the lower end -of the hanger 60. The motor commutator is located at the lower end of the motor, and the current is conducted to it by a flexible cable 68 extending through a metal tube 69 of goose neck form, which is employed for the protection of the cable. Suiiicient slack is provided in the exposed portion of the cableto accommodate any movement of the hanger upon its flexible mounting. 1

In order to keep the clothes within therotating basket 64 away from the stationary hanger 60, and in. order to protect them from any lubricant which may collect on the hanger, the. latter is enclosed by an encircling sleeve 70, welded to the basket 64 around the central opening 71 therein. The upper portion of this sleeve is' preferably provided with ventilation openings 72 which cooperate with the opening`71 and the perforations in extension 63 to permit circulation of air.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated thearrangement of the combined washing machine and centrifugal drier which is recommended with respect to a pair of stationary tubs. The latter are indica-ted at 73 and 74. In this gure the drain opening 23 is innposition to discharge liquid from the casing 21 into the tub 74. By swinging the drier standard 17 through a small angle this drain opening A can be brought into position above the tub 7 3. By swinging the drier through a somewhat greater angle in the same direction, the drain opening 23 can be brought into position to discharge liquid into the tub 10 of the washing machine. This swinging of the drier accomplishes two important functions,

f drier as a separate machine, my drier unit in either of its above described forms may .be employed, but in such cases I prefer to modify the standard somewhat, as indicated at 17 in Fig. 5. As shown in this figure the standard 17 is secured, by means of rivets or the like, to a ring 80 of angle bar material upon which the bottom of the casing 21 rests, the motor 40 extendingdownwardly through the opening in the ring. The ring 80 may be' mounted at the upper ends'of channel bars 81 or the like, these bars being attached at their lower ends to a second ring 82 that'is supported upon casters 83. For the sake of appearance and in order to further strengthen the machine, a sheet metal skirt 84 may be placed around and secured to the rings 80 and 82 and the bars 81.

The operation of the invention will be clear from the above description of its construction. When a batch of clothes has Abeen Washed in the washing machine, the operator grasps the arm 30 and swings it clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, until the guard 54 encounters the side of tub 10. The casing 21 is then partially overhanging the tub 10, and the drain opening 23 is positioned above the tub. The basket 36 ,is now loaded from the tub. When the loading is complete, the valve iwhich controls the drain 23 is opened and the switch lever 57 is thrown to start the motor 40. As the shaft 43 gets up speed the weights 49 begin to press upon the driving hub 52 to transmit driving force thereto. However, the weighted basket 36 possesses considerable inertia, and there is consequently much slippage between the vparts 49 and I 52 at the start, this being gradually lessened as the speed of the basket approaches that of the motor, until finally they turn at the same speed andslippage is eliminated. `The suds in the clothes are now thrown outwardly by centrifugal force through the openings in basket 36 against the side wall of the casing 21, and the suds are then drained out of the casing through the opening 23 back into the washing tub.

The operator thenswings the arm 30 back in an anti-clockwise direction until the drain rinsing water which drains back into tub 7 4.

Now the arm 30 is swung a short distance clockwise to bring the drain opening 23 above tub 7 3,in which the bluing water is located.

The clothes are then emptied into the bluing water and again returned to the drier basket, which is again rotated to remove the bluing water, the latter draining back into the tub 73. -In the meantime, of course, a second batch of clothes may be in process of being washed in the tub 10. The cycle of operations is repeated for each batch.

rIhe form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3 functions in substantially the same way.

as that shown in Fig. 1, the basket 64 and the motor 61 being both suspended upon the hanger 60, which is free to adjust itself upon p the flexible jointb32.` However, the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1 `is somewhat preferred in view of the fact that it utilizes ordinary rotating-shaft electric motors, which may be purchased at a lower cost than the special rotating-field motors that -I care required in the modification of Fig. 3.

Although in the present disclosure I have illustrated and described with considerable particularity certain preferred embodiments of the invention, I desire it to be understood l that such detailed disclosure is primarily for p ing from the lower end of said shaft upwardly around said motor casing and attached to said basket.

2. In a centrifugal clothes drier, a supoprt comprising a hollow standard rotatable t0 various angular positions, a hollow arm extending laterallyfrom said standard, a tubular hanger non-rotatablysuspen'ded from said y arm, a drier basket rotatably suspended from container, a

said hanger, an electric motor also suspended from said hanger, and an electric conduclmeans `for operatively connecting the lower end of the shaft-of said motor with said basket, such means comprising a centrifugal- LEE B. GREEN.-

tor extending through said standard arm and 4 tubular hanger downto said motor. 3. In a centrifugal clothes drier, a support, an outer container fixed thereto, said container having a central opening in the bottom thereof, a non-rotatable hanger 'carried by said support centrally of said container, a drier basket rotatably suspended upon said container, a drivin motor also suspended from said han er within the opening insaid riving connection extending from the lower endl of said shaft upwardly around said motor casing and attached to said basket, and a circular guard depending from the bottom of said container around said opening spaced from said driving connection. 4. In a centrifugal clothes drier, a support, a non-rotatable hanger carried thereby, said hanger comprising a flexible joint, a drier basket hung from said hanger and rotatably sllpptorted thereon, a motor of the vertical s a basket, and means for operatively connecting type hung from said hanger below said said basket with the shaft of said motor at the lower end thereof.

5. In a centrifugal clothes drier, a support, a non-rotatable mounting carried thereby,

said mounting comprising a flexible joint, a

. drier .basket supported exclusively upon said mounting, a motor also supported exclusive- 'ly upon said mounting withits center of mass below lthe center of mass of the basket, and means comprising a centrifugal clutch for 0peratively connecting the lower end of the shaft of said motor with said basket.

` 6. In a centrifugal clothes driera support, a non-rotatablel hanger carried thereby, said hanger compri-sing a flexible joint, a vdrier basket hung from said han er, a motoralso hung from saidhanger with its center of mass below the center of mass of the basket, and

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